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This trial will assess if a TNF inhibitor is safe to administer to patients undergoing vascular surgery. If so we will commence further trials to assess if a TNF inhibitor improves clinical outcomes.

The aim of this study is to compare the repair of early tooth decay and penetration of fluoride into the repaired decay after mouthrinsing four times a day for 10 days with a solution of: 1) a tooth creme product containing fluoride and a major component of milk called casein; 2) an oral care product containing fluoride alone. Subjects will wear a custom-made removable plastic denture-like appliance that will each hold four pieces of pre-sterilized human tooth enamel containing early decay that has been artificially-created in the laboratory. Subjects will insert their appliance, rinse with 5 mL of one of the two solutions for one minute, spit out the solution, then continue wearing the appliance for a total of 40 minutes. After 10 days' rinsing with one of the solutions, subjects will rest from the study for four days before repeating the exercise with the other solution as before. The research team will prepare the solutions by diluting the products in distilled filtered water. Solutions will be freshly prepared for use at the start of each weekday and enough solution for subjects to use on the weekends will be prepared on the Friday beforehand. Subjects will brush their teeth with a fluoride toothpaste at least one hour before first inserting their appliance that day and rinse their mouths with tap water and their appliance with distilled filtered water immediately prior to inserting their appliance each time. They will also rinse their appliance with distilled filtered water after removing it each time and store their appliance in a humid container at room temperature. Subjects will also be instructed to clean their appliance, avoiding the enamel pieces, with a fluoride-free denture paste once daily. The solutions will be stored at room temperature at all times. Subjects will not eat or drink anything except rinse with their allocated solution when wearing their appliance. Otherwise, subjects will maintain their normal oral hygiene and dietary habits throughout the study. The hypotheses for this study are: 1) there will be significantly greater repair of decay after rinsing with the solution containing casein and fluoride than after rinsing with the solution containing fluoride only. 2) penetration of fluoride into the repaired decay will be significantly greater after rinsing with the solution containing casein and fluoride than the solution containing fluoride alone.

The aim of this study is to compare the repair of early tooth decay after drinking with three milks, each containing different amounts of added casein, (which is a major component of milk), once a day for 15 days. Subjects will wear a custom-made removable plastic denture-like appliance that will each hold four pieces of pre-sterilized human tooth enamel containing early decay that has been artificially-created in the laboratory. On each of 15 consecutive weekdays, subjects will be given a coded bag containing their allocated milk to use that day by the research team. They will be instructed to pour out 100 mL of the milk from the bag into a plastic measuring cup (supplied). They will then rinse their mouths with tap water and rinse their appliance with distilled filtered water (supplied). They will then insert their appliance and drink all 100 mL of the milk by taking 5-8 sips over 30 seconds. They will then continue to wear their appliance for a total of 40 minutes. After the 40 minutes they will remove their appliance, rinse it with distilled filtered water and clean it, avoiding the enamel pieces as instructed, with a fluoride free denture paste (supplied). They will again rinse the appliance with distilled filtered water and store it in a humid container (supplied) at room temperature until required again. After 15 days' drinking one of the milks, subjects will rest from the study for a week before repeating the exercise with another milk as before. Subjects will repeat this again until they have consumed all three milks. All milk will be stored at 4 degrees Celsius in a secure refigerator in the research department and milk will not be consumed if it has been stored for more than 60 days after its manufacture date. Subjects will also be instructed to consume their milk within 30 minutes of it being removed from the refrigerator and given to them by the research team. Subjects will brush their teeth with a fluoride toothpaste at least one hour before first inserting their appliance each day and also once at night. When wearing their appliance, subjects will not eat or drink anything other than drink their allocated milk. Otherwise, subjects will maintain their normal oral hygiene and dietary habits throughout the study. The hypotheses for this study are: 1) drinking milk containing added casein results in significantly greater repair of decay than drinking milk without added casein; 2) repair of decay after drinking milk with the highest amount of added casein is significantly greater than repair of decay after drinking with milk containing the lower amount of added casein.

This study investigates the potential benefit of supplementary vitamins and essential minerals in the prevention of breaks in cellular DNA, which are associated with cancer development.

Low back pain is the most common presentation to chiropractic practitioners. Recent evidence suggests that chronic LBP may be associated with physical and psychosocial components. The biopsychosocial model of pain acknowledges the biological, psychological and social dimensions of the pain experience. This model recognizes disability often results from an inability to perform activities due to the pain, or due to the fear of future pain. The mind-body approach attempts to integrate the psychosocial dimensions of the person into therapy. It is for these reasons that manual medicine has begun to embrace the concept of "mind-body" treatments. These treatments attempt in various ways to integrate the function of the mind with the body in both assessment and therapy. Despite these lofty goals, very few of these treatments have been scrutinized under controlled conditions. This pilot study provides preliminary evidence that a mind-body approach, identified as Neuro Emotional Technique, may be beneficial in the treatment of chronic low back pain.

Cardiac surgery triggers an acute inflammatory response throughout the body that contributes to multiple organ failures. How this inflammatory response causes organ failures is not well understood. We have undertaken trials that demonstrate the formation of clots in small blood vessels (capillaries) maybe an important mechnanism.We would like to further investigate this mechanism of organ injury by studying the capillaries in the back of the eye (retina) to see if clots form there following cardiac surgery. Unlike other parts of the body the capillaries of the retina can be seen using fundoscopy ( a special torch that focuses light on the retina). We will use a fundoscopic camera to take pictures of the retina before and after cardiac surgery to asses the changes in the capillaries. Taking pictures of the back of the eye will not expose patients to any risks. The results of this trial may highlight a new and important mechanism of organ injury in inflammatory states.

The objective of our research program is to improve pathways to care for frail older people with depression. The aim of this project is to demonstrate the efficacy of the ‘beyondblue depression training program for aged care staff’, through a randomised controlled study across community and residential aged care services. The specific hypotheses that will be tested are that, when compared with a wait-list control group that receives no training, aged care staff: (i) will demonstrate improved knowledge of late-life depression and more positive attitudes to the care of older people with depression, (ii) will demonstrate improved detection rates of depression among their care recipients and a higher number of referrals to medical services, (iii) will report improved self-efficacy in relation to caring for older people with depression, perceive fewer barriers to the provision of such care, and demonstrate improved care practices.

In order to perform peripheral nerve blockage a local anaesthetic has to be injected though a needle onto the selected nerve. Ultrasound guidance will help to accurately guide the needle to the selected site of the nerve. Unfortunately the needle is difficult to see especially when it is introduced at acute angles to the ultrasound beam. Our new needle is hoped to be more echogenic, thus improving the efficacy and safety of peripheral nerve blockade.